"Aagh! Another one liner. I don't know what we're doing wrong, Spike!"
Spike called from the bedroom, "Well, I don't really know either. Maybe we could ask Zecora to help?" Rarity pondered the idea for a short spell, then walked out of the bathroom.
"Well, Spikey-Wikey," Rarity said wearily, laying a hoof on her husbands shoulders, "it seems Zecora is the best option at this point. Sweetie Belle and I were going to go tomorrow, taking some herbs and ingredients Zecora said she needed. You can come along and we'll ask her about it." Rarity huffed. "I can't believe my little sister actually had foals before I could. I can't understand much though. It could have to do with our different species qualities. Honestly, you're a dragon, for Fausts sake! If my element hadn't extended my life, I don't think this would've worked."
"You do have a good point," Spike said, "I'm just glad dragons like me mature and grow faster than young colts. If I was a pony, oh ho. This definitely wouldn't have worked." A small letter appeared on Spike's bedside table. The violet and pink striped ribbon let him know it was Twilight. He opened it and read it out loud. "'Rarity and Spike, Would you two like to visit today? The castle is always open to my family and friends. We're having lunch, with dandelion sandwiches, a small gem cake for Spike, tea, and lemonade. Hope you will join! Love, Twilight.' Should we go? It sounds like a good time to catch up."
Rarity replied excitedly, "Sure! I'd love to see Rainbow Dash and how round she is! Here, I'll write the reply." Rarity got out a slip of parchment and a quill. She wrote, 'Dearest Twilight, Spike and I would love to come over! Thank you so much for inviting us. We'll be by a little early, about 11 o'clock. Hope you don't mind, we'd just like to catch up with you first. Your dearest sister-in-law, Rarity.' She wrapped the note in a violet and green striped ribbon and gave it to Spike, where he blew his recently discovered magenta fire to send to Twilight.
"Come on, let's just start getting ready, if we'll be early. I will not wear a suit, Rares. Just a forewarning," Spike said, climbing out of the shared bed to clean up.
"I'm ready, Spikey! I'll be down in a moment," Rarity called down the stairs of her boutique. Before Rarity came a small gift for Rainbow Dash, a hoof-sewn doll for her daughter. "I just know Dash will let her daughter have this, it's perfect!" The doll was a perfect resemblance of the rainbow-colored mare, with magenta button eyes and a Wonderbolts outfit sewn on. The small Rainbow Dash doll was nearly a remake of Dash's Spitfire doll from when she was a foal.
"Well, of course Dash'll let the filly have it, it's a perfect representation of how 'awesome her mom is.' That last part is a direct quote from RD. It's mainly because AJ asked her if she'd let her daughter have a doll," Spike said. "Don't be surprised if AJ has a doll for Rainbows daughter too."
Rarity replied, "I wouldn't be surprised anyways. I heard Twilight got her a little blanket, a light gold one. All right, let's head out."
The dragon and the unicorn mare left the large boutique. It's size had to be slightly modified for the still-growing dragon. And someday soon, for their growing foal or foals. Rarity wore a extra decorated sundress, since 'Simple' isn't in her fashion vocabulary. The end was studded with tiny gem shards, a shiny blue ribbon tied around her waist, and another blue ribbon tied into a ribbon on her head. The ribbon on her head held her extra hair that wouldn't go into a ponytail out of her face.
When they arrived at the enormous crystalline castle of Twilight, Rainbow Dash floated down on her cloud that Soarin insisted she use for transportation. "Hey Rares, Spike. How's the baby stuff going?" Rainbow asked, her own bulging stomach buried into the cloud.
"Ah! Rainbow Dash, I was hoping to see you first!" Rarity said, and opened her saddlebag to get out the doll. Rainbow gasped at the likeness of herself and her Spitfire doll she'd had. "I didn't have it done at the foal shower, so I though I'd give it to you at the next possible time. Oh, and to answer your question, still nothing yet."
Spike rubbed his eye, saying, "Yeah. We're going to Zecora tomorrow to see what she can do."
"I'm so sorry guys," Dash said, "I'm sure Zecora could help though, she's got all the potions and stuff." Dash stepped off the cloud, tying it down to one of the castle's more misshapen crystal pieces. "Let's just head inside, I'm STARVI-I-I-ING!" Rarity giggled while Spike chuckled and opened the door for the two mares with his wing.
Once they got to the main room, there was a loud laugh, a familiar sound from the one and only Apple Jack. "Pinkie Pie, I cannot believe how you come up with these things!" AJ said, still laughing, tears running down her face. She wiped away a stream of tears, only for more to stain her cheeks. Once she caught her breath, Apple Jack said, "Hey, it's Dash, Rarity, and Spike! Howdy, y'all. Rares, any news on yer baby-makin' yet?"
"Still none, AJ," Rarity said.
Dash somewhat interrupted, "They'll be stopping at Zecora's tomorrow. Here, look at what Rarity got me for Rapid!"
"Ah ah ah!" Spike said, continuing, "Hoof-made for you. And so Rapid is going to be your daughter's name?"
"Yeah, Rapid Strike. I do hope she'll be fast like me and Soarin, but you never know." Rainbow shrugged, indicating she didn't know whether her daughter would be a wild fire, burning fast and crazy, or a tame little pit fire, calm and collected. She could even be like a bonfire, large and something to see while controlled.
Fluttershy was the last one to arrive, an egg it a tiny basket on her back. Her lengthy mane was in a braid she had to drape across her back. "Oh," she said in her high, quiet voice, "am I the last to come?"
Twilight stepped into the room, saying, "Technically, no. But in a certain way, yes, you were the last one to come into the castle. I was the last one to come into the room. Wonderful, now that we're all here, I'll bring in the food and drinks." Her magenta magic brought three platters out, each with different dish. A large teapot, seven teacups, and a large pitcher floated out alongside the platters, and they were set neatly on the decorated table. Twilight hadn't been able to remove any of Rarity's decorations from the dining room when she'd asked her five friends if they'd help make her castle feel more like home.
Occasionally, Rarity would come in to change the decorations, washing the dirty parts and polishing the gems. Always replacing the ribbons and such. She'd done so yesterday and realized today she'd need to replace the tacky ribbons. "Twilight, dearest, it's always a pleasure to come and visit! I'm just glad you picked such a gorgeous day! When we're done, I was hoping we'd go outside and just enjoy the weather."
"Rarity," Twilight exclaimed, "that sounds like a perfect idea! We could get some kites, bring out any extra tea and lemonade we have, and just sit in the sun!"
Apple Jack said gleefully, "That there sounds a might perfect, if ya ask me." She tipped her hat up a small bit, and blew a loose strand of her mane out of her eyes.
For some reason, Pinkie Pie had been silent the entire time. Rarity looked at the pink earth pony mare, only to see her asleep on a dandelion sandwich. She'd drooled all over the smashed bread, a quiet snore escaping her lips. Rarity took her fainting pillow - which she never left the house without - and put it in place of the sandwich, making sure to have a drool-catcher under Pinkie's mouth.
"I do wonder what caused Pinkie to be so exhausted," Rarity said quietly, thinking of Cheese Sandwich's declaration of love only two weeks before. Pinkie had been ecstatic, since she shared these feelings, and for the past couple days, had never been away from Cheese up until today.
"Well, whatever the outcome for our visit with Zecora, if Pinkie can't make it to the announcement of the outcome, we'll tell her as soon as we can."
"Sweetie, Spike, are you ready to head to Zecora's?" Rarity called. She had gathered up all the ingredients Zecora had told Sweetie Belle she needed for a very important potion. Rarity wasn't sure what it was, but she'd helped anyways.
"I'll be down in a minute," Spike and Sweetie called in unison. Sweetie came out first, her lengthy mane tied into a tight ponytail. Her slightly round stomach showed signs of foal number two for her and Button. There was no guarantee this next foal would be male or female just yet.
"Wow, Rarity," Sweetie said, "I've never been done after you! It's a new Ponyville record of you finishing getting ready!"
Rarity replied with a simple chuckle, saying, "Cut it out, Sweetie. I know, I take a long time to get ready, but I didn't have anything to change. You only took longer because of your ponytail."
Spike came out a second later, explaining, "My basket tipped over. I had to pick everything back up."
"That's alright, Spikey, you only took a minute or two. Let's head out," Rarity said, reassuring Spike.
"Ah, so that's what you need, a potion to fertilize your seed. Do not worry, this potion will be done in a hurry," Zecora said after Spike and Rarity explained what was going on. Zecora handed Spike a small cup and whispered in his ear. A heavy blush flooded over his cheeks, but he went outside for a short while. "Now, while the dragon gathers, I'll mix the other matters. Petals of a Heart's Desire flower, a sprinkle of gem shards to enhance the power." Spike came back inside, a clearish liquid in the cup. Zecora poured the liquid into the potion, and she stirred it, saying an incantation. The potion turned clear, as though it was water.
Zecora took out a small ladle-full of the potion and gave it to Rarity, saying, "Drink up, young mare, there is no time to spare." As Rarity drank the potion, Spike gave Zecora a questioning look. She recognized it quickly and said, "The effects weaken if not drank in a day, but if you want to hurry, you may. A few days from today, come back to me and do as I say."